(To learn more about this show, please visit the show’s page here)

Performance 6/12/26 – Portland Stage Studio

You WILL be drawn in.
Whether it’s the gravitas of ritual, Grzelak’s wry command of the room, or the way beautiful questions are phrased questionably—and questionable questions with utmost importance—there is something here worth experiencing. Best paired with a lapsed Catholic, someone who loves a rough and raw HOA dispute, or anyone wrestling with spiritual prolapse.

Submitted on 6/13/26 by Tarra Haskell, PF26 Independent Review Team

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Jimmy Grzelak delivered the Gregorian Monk standup routine I didn’t know I needed with the confidence of a fearless cult-hopper and the grace of a Roman Catholic apostate, implementing pithy anecdotes, autobiographical confessionals, and bar jokes, all while playing with the rhythm and expectations that come with continuous chanting. Yes, Jimmy chants throughout the entirety of the show. Yes, he chants beautifully, with a gorgeous voice that is showcased at key moments for comedic effect. And for those of you who are wondering (as I did) when reading the title of the show, yes, the soothing tones of the comedic drone did eventually lull me into near-sleep a couple of times. But the slower moments with high-minded japes that drifted slowly over the majority of our heads were well worth weathering for the precisely timed, rhythm-breaking killers that laced the show. Jimmy’s unwavering delivery assured us that though some early jokes may not be for the average, non-catholic-schooled viewer, they were building the dry, churchy atmosphere for the undercutting hits that were still to come.

The show benefited from the simple, stark lights of the Studio Theatre. Along with the well-crafted reverb through Jimmy’s mic and the artist’s skilled world-building, the sparse tech enhanced the experience, leaving me feeling that when we returned from a story jaunt, we were back at the monastery rather than in the theater itself. This illusion held true even when an audience member walked across stage to go to the bathroom, as Jimmy calmly watched with subdued judgment and made the sign of the cross as they stepped out.

Maybe I’m just too in love with the character and world Jimmy creates at the beginning of the show, because I was left a little disappointed when the performance switched into its second gear. Though the stories were thought-provoking, fun trips that opened the show up to deeper themes and shared traumas, I found myself missing the stuffy monastery and wondering how interesting it might be if Jimmy’s stories were just another layer of the sly, knowing Monk we had all grown so fond of. I guess it was always a game of, do you really believe this performer is a Monk who loves standup comedy? Well, as an adult who believed in Santa Claus until the Christmas Eve night of my 6th grade year, yes, I believed, and it is still no fun for me to watch (holding my new Lego Medieval Castle set in my arms) as Santa takes his beard off and climbs into his navy blue Astro Van.

Despite inducing a traumatic flashback, Jimmy has created a wonderfully quirky show well worth the price of admission! It’s an experience you’ll find hard to forget. I know I never will.

Submitted on 6/14/26 by Nathan Gregory, PF26 Independent Review Team

Performance 6/14/26 – Portland Stage STudio

The Gregorian Chant Comedy Hour was truly delightful. The premise of a monk doing comedy in Gregorian chant is wonderfully clever, but what makes it work is that Jimmy Grzelak can really sing. The material was consistently funny, aided by the church like echo of the amplification. Towards the end, he comments that the show’s content had no grand design or story arc, and that’s true. It’s a series of funny observations and stories by Jimmy dressed as a chanting monk. Good enough. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Submitted on 6/14/26 by Mark Shaughnessy, PF26 Independent Review Team

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Filling the room with the melodic tones of a monk and laugh out loud stories about modern daily living, sexuality, cultisms, and life in New Jersey, Gregorian Chant Comedy Hour was a fun time. Impressed with Jimmy Grzelak’s ability to sing monotone lyrics the full 60 minutes and command the stage while making eye contact with everyone in the room, I giggled and questioned my own religion throughout this performance happily. Although tonal listening may have kept my heart rate steady at relaxation during the hour, my smile stood at attention at all times.

A show I would suggest for mature audiences, check it out. You may walk away debating your own life choices, but you definitely won’t regret being in attendance for this show.

Submitted on 6/15/26 by Christina W. Richardson, PF26 Independent Review Team